On Loving Boundaries
"In the Kabbalastic tradition, Gevurah is the counterpoint to Chesed. While Chesed is 'boundless loving kindness.' Gevurah is 'no more!' It is the restraint of our natural impulse to bestow goodness. It's the line in the sand. While Chesed draws the other close, Gevurah is boundaries. It is the withdrawal which demands accountability from the other. Together, Chesed and Gevurah act to create an inner balance in the soul's navigation of relationships & the world. Paradoxically, (and here's the juicy part) it is Gevurah's withdrawal which creates the potentiality for Chesed to occur! In other words, your personal discipline and the discipline you expect of others is actually an expression of love. Different from judgement, Gevurah is the tenacity to our own & others' greatest potential. Though asserting your boundaries rarely feels 'good' in the moment, it is ultimately a loving gesture to recognize someone's capability and say, "I expect better from you."
- by Dreamwork with Toko-pa www.toko-pa.com Photograph by Ben Zank (www.benzank.com)
